The accurate diagnosis of a cancer condition relics on histological or cytological examination of tissue or cells respectively. Both laboratory techniques are time consuming, costly and do not provide the surgeon, in real-time, information necessary to discriminate between tumor tissue and non-tumor tissue. Histopathology and cytopathology are also ineffective at providing, in real-time, information necessary for assessing tumor margins or real-time information that permits differentiation between cancerous tissue and non-cancerous tissue during or post-surgery.
Additionally, the completeness of tumor removal depends in large part on the surgeon's ability to differentiate tumor tissue from normal tissue using subjective criteria. Modern surgical techniques used in tumor removal use a variety of surgical instruments. Some of those instruments generate smoke and fumes that may be used to differentiate between tumor tissue and normal tissue. However, the generation of smoke and fumes can cause problems for the surgical staff participating in the surgery. For instance, surgical smoke is known to impair the visual field of the surgeon, produce undesirable odor, and even cause the release and dissemination of noxious chemicals or particles that can have harmful health effects on healthcare workers. Thus, the capture of the smoke and fumes from surgical equipment may not only be beneficial to the operating room workers, but also provide valuable information regarding the completeness of the surgical procedure.